Hand crimping tool



June 15, 1965 c. w. MAGEE HAND CRIMPING TOOL Filed April 15, 1964 J 4 I.) 1 I f n u m 4 M W Pal. W nk} 7 y z B 3 o I. a I x W J U a a x 4 J j m Q 0 E W... Q m W um? 1 w a J fl M E J a z #7 United States Patent HAND CRIMPING T081 Carl W. Magee, Randallstown, Md., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Apr. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 359,530 2 (Ilaims; (Cl. 72-409) The present invention relates to a band crimping tool and more particularly to a hand tool for crimping two concentrically mounted tubes together so that there cannot be any relative rotation between the two tubes.

In the waveguide art, a helix element is often positioned within a waveguide and the helix element then rotated to a desired position to provide a desired phase shift within the waveguide. The helix element might be mounted in a first cylindrical element of insulating material, such as Teflon, which is a trade name of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., Wilmington, Delaware, with the first cylindrical element being rotatably positioned within the cylindrical waveguide. Locking of the two cylindrical elements can be achieved by crimping.

The present invention comprises a novel crimping tool having a plurality of crimping levers that are pivotally mounted within a cylindrical body. Each lever is provided with a crimping tip on one end and the other end is provided with adjustable means that is engageable with a tapered shaft that is slidably positioned within the cylindrical body. An outer handle is provided on one end of the cylindrical body and an inner handle is provided on one end of the tapered shaft. Upon moving the handles together, the tapered shaft causes the crimping levers to be pivoted about a fulcrum point and the crimping tips are pivoted inwardly.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved hand tool that will perform crimping operations in a very fast time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand crimping tool that will provide uniform indentations, the depth of which can be varied.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a hand crimping tool which will crimp together two concentrically mounted cylindrical units.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side View of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View similar to FIGURE 3, only showing the tool in a crimping position.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a cylindrical body 11 having an enlarged diameter portion 12 and a reduced diameter portion 13 With a bore 14 pass ing through both portions. The enlarged diameter portion 12 is provided with three kerfs or cuts 15, 16, and 17 that are of sutncient width to accommodate crimping levers 21, 22, and 23, respectively. Each crimping lever is provided with a pair of holes 24 and 25 and, as best shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, dowell pins 26 are passed through one of the holes of each crimping lever to pivotally mount each crimping lever to the cylindrical body 11. As the kerfs in body 11 will provide three cantilever sections that will be somewhat flexible, a ring 20 is provided around the enlarged diameter portion 12 to present flexing when the crimping tool is operated.

3,189,916 Patented June 15, 1965 A shaft 27 is slidably positioned in bore 14 of body 11 and shaft 27 is provided with a tapered section 28 which is utilized to pivot crimping levers 21, 22, and 23. A T handle 31 is threadedly attached to the reduced diameter portion 13 of body 11 and the attached portion 32 is provided with slot 33 in which a handle 34 is positioned. Handle 34 is attached, as by threading, to shaft 27. A spring 35 is positioned between the attached portion 32 of T-handle 31 and flange 36 on shaft 27, and spring 35 biases shaft 27 forwardly against lips 37, 38, and 39 that project from crimping levers 21, 22, and 23, respectively.

Crimping levers 21, 22, and 23 are provided with crimping tips 41, 42, and 43, respectively, that extend forward of the lips on the respective crimping levers. The tips shown are V-shaped and consequently the indentations made in the object being crimped are V- shaped, however, other configurations could be used equally as well. A set screw 44 is threaded through the rear end of each crimping lever and is engageable with the tapered section 28 of shaft 27. By adjusting set screws 44, the depth of penetration can be regulated for each of the crimping tips so that the indentations can be made either equal or unequal, as desired. A set screw 45 is also provided in T-handle 31 in order to regulate the amount of travel of shaft 27.

In operation, the operator first decides whether to place pins 26 through holes 24 or 25. A greater mechanical advantage will be obtained when hole 25 is used as the fulcrum point. Next, set screw 45 is adjusted to regulate the amount of travel of shaft 27, and consequently, the depth of penetration of the crimping tips is regulated. The tool is now ready for operation.

A part 46 to be orimped is placed in the counterb'ore 47 of the crimping tool, as shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawing, and handle 34 is moved toward handle 31. This can be done with one hand by placing T-handle 31 in the palm of one hand and by grasping handle 34 with the fingers of the same hand. The other hand is free to hold part 46 which is being crimped. Movement of hand-1e 34 causes a corresponding movement of shaft 27 and the tapered portion 28, when moved, causes the crimping levers to be provided about pins 26. Crimping tips 41, 42, and 43 are thus forced into part 46 and permanently deform the material.

Upon release of handle 34,'spring 35, which had been compressed by movement of shaft 27, will move shaft 27 to its original position. Shaft 27 will contact lips 37, 38, and 39 and cause the crimping levers to be pivoted in a reverse direction so that the crimping tips will release from part 46.

It can thus be seen that the present invention provides a hand crimping tool which will rapidly perform crimping operation, and the depth of penetrations of the crimping tips can be readily controlled.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood, that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A crimping tool comprising:

a body having a bore therein and at least one kerf extending through the wall of said body and communicating with said bore,

at least one crimping lever having a crimping tip on one end and a plurality of mounting holes for selectively pivotally mounting said crimping lever in said kerf at different fulcrum points whereby said crimping lever can be pivctally moved to an unactuated position and an actuated position, said crimping lever having a downwardly extending lip positioned between said crimping tip and the mounting hole nearest said crimping tip,

an adjustable screw threadedly attached to said crimping lever near the end opposite the end having said crimping tip,

a shaft slidably mounted in said bore of said body and having a tapered section engageable with said adjustable screw attached to said crimping lever,

spring means normally biasing one end of said shaft against said downwardly extending lip thereby causing said crimping lever to be moved to an unactuated position, and

means attached to said shaft for moving said shaft against the biasing force of said spring means Whereby movement of said tapered section of said shaft causes pivotal movement of said crimping lever to an actuated position.

2. A crimping tool as set forth in claim 1 wherein means are provided for selectively limiting the amount of travel of said shaft.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MICHAEL BALAS, Examiner. 

1. A CRIMPING TOOL COMPRISING: A BODY HAVING A BORE THEREIN AND AT LEAST ONE KERF EXTENDING THROUGH THE WALL OF SAID BODY AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BORE, AT LEAST ONE CRIMPING LEVER HAVING A CRIMPING TIP ON ONE END AND A PLURALITY OF MOUNTING HOLES FOR SELECTIVELY PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID CRIMPING LEVER IN SAID KERF AT DIFFERENT FULCRUM POINTS WHEREBY SAID CRIMPING LEVER CAN BE PIVOTALLY MOVED TO AN UNACTUATED POSITION AND AN ACTUATED POSITION, SAID CRIMPING LEVER HAVING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING LIP POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID CRIMPING TIP AND THE MOUNTING HOLE NEAREST SAID CRIMPING TIP, AND ADJUSTABLE SCREW THREADEDLY ATTACHED TO SAID CRIMPING LEVER NEAR THE END OPPOSITE THE END HAVING SAID CRIMPING TIP, A SHAFT SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BORE OF SAID BODY AND HAVING A TAPERED SECTION ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID ADJUSTABLE SCREW ATTACHED TO SAID CRIMPING LEVER, SPRING MEANS NORMALLY BIASING ONE END OF SAID SHAFT AGAINST SAID DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING LIP THEREBY CAUSING SAID CRIMPING LEVER TO BE MOVED TO AN UNACTUATED POSITION, AND MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID SHAFT FOR MOVING SAID SHAFT AGAINST THE BIASING FORCE OF SAID SPRING MEANS WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID TAPERED SECTION OF SAID SHAFT CAUSES PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID CRIMPING LEVER TO AN ACTUATED POSITION. 